France recalls ambassador from Turkey over mental health jibe at Emmanuel Macron

Recep Tayyip Erdogan implied that Emmanuel Macron had mental health issues 

Credit: AFP

France has recalled its ambassador from Turkey “for consultations” after Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, suggested that his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, needed a mental health examination.

Mr Erdogan’s outburst came after the French president declared “war” on political Islam in France following the beheading of a teacher who showed his class cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

Calls for boycotts of French goods are growing in the Muslim world, reflecting unease over France’s crackdown on suspected Islamists. Imran Khan, Pakistan’s prime minister, entered the row on Sunday, accusing Mr Macron of “attacking Islam”.

In a televised address the previous day, Mr Erdogan said: "What can one say about a head of state who treats millions of members from different faith groups this way: first of all, have mental check-ups.”

French President Emmanuel Macron leaves after paying his respects by the coffin of slain teacher Samuel Paty in the courtyard of the Sorbonne university

Credit: Reuters

Mr Erdogan, whose AK party has Islamist roots, has sought to bring Islam into the mainstream of Turkish politics. ”What’s the problem of the individual called Macron with Islam and with the Muslims?” he asked.

France has reacted with outrage. Jean-Yves Le Drian, the foreign minister, on Sunday accused Mr Erdogan of “trying to whip up hatred” of France. He described the Turkish leader’s remarks as "hateful, slanderous propaganda against France” and expressed disappointment at Turkey’s failure to condemn the murder of Samuel Paty, a history teacher, or express solidarity with France.

In recent months, France and Turkey, both Nato members, have been at loggerheads over a range of issues including oil and gas exploration in the eastern Mediterranean, conflicts in Libya and Syria, and fighting between largely Christian Armenia and mainly Muslim Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

In Qatar and Kuwait, dozens of shops have removed French food products from sale. Qatar University said it was postponing French Cultural Week indefinitely.

In Pakistan, the prime minister tweeted: "It is unfortunate that [Mr Macron] has chosen to encourage Islamophobia by attacking Islam rather than the terrorists who carry out violence, be it Muslims, White Supremacists or Nazi ideologists.”